Development of high-speed atomic force microscope with minimum load for observing protein molecules

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nano/Micro science and related fields
• Research Institution: Fukuoka University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Daisuke 福岡大学, 理学部, 教授 (80377902)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 武藤 梨沙 福岡大学, 理学部, 助教 (10622417)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 走査プローブ顕微鏡 / ナノバイオ / 蛋白質 / 原子間力顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A novel method of atomic force microscopy (AFM) was developed to enable the observations of biological molecules with very low loading force. This method was introduced to high-speed AFM and protein molecules were examined. The force acting between the probe tip and the sample surface was estimated. It was found that the loading force is significantly small compared to the conventional high-speed AFM. It was confirmed that this novel method significantly reduces the invasiveness to the protein GroEL compared to the conventional high-speed AFM. Furthermore, surface structure unprecedented by conventional AFM observations was found on membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin.

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

タンパク質は柔軟な分子機械であるため、そのありのままの動態を解析するためには、測定がタンパク質に与える擾乱を可能な限り低減させる必要がある。本研究で開発したAFM測定法は、探針－試料間相互作用の大きさを極めて小さくすることができる。そのため、従来のAFM測定法と比較して、タンパク質が本来供えている構造動態を乱すことなく測定することができると考えられる。本手法を拡張することで、将来的に多様なAFM測定法が開発されることにつながることも期待される。